Printing ribbon indexing system

ABSTRACT

A low cost printing ribbon indexing mechanism for use with a printing mechanism utilizing a single operating hammer member. The indexing mechanism includes a printing ribbon supply reel mounted on a slip clutch, a motor driven take-up reel supplying tension to the ribbon, a feed roll mounted on a one-way clutch, a plurality of link members forming an assembly engaging the clutch and feed roll and actuated by the movement of the hammer in a printing direction to condition the clutch and feed roll for a feed operation and a resilient member engaging said assembly to operate the feed roll to withdraw a predetermined length of ribbon from the supply reel such that the hammer will print on a new area of the printing ribbon.

States atent 11 1 1111 3,837,462 Patel et al. 1 Sept. 24, 1974 [54]PRINTING RIBBON INDEXING SYSTEM 3,727,743 4/1973 Hengelhaupt et ul.197/151 UX [75] Inventors: Ramesh U. Patel, Cambridge; Rex OTHERPUBLICATIONS Alesh're Byesvllle both of Ohio IBM Technical DisclosureBulletin, Carbon Ribbon [73] Assignee: The National Cash Register T PClutch y Extension Spring,

Company Dayton, Ohio l1tch, Vol. 8, No. 11, Apr1l 1966, pp. 1,6251 ,626.

[22] Filed: 1972 Primary Examiner-Ernest T. Wright, Jr. [21] Appl. No.:308,653 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-J. T. Cavender; Wilbert Hawk, Jr.;Richard W. Lavin [52] U.S. Cl. 197/151 51 Int. (:1 B4lj 33/14 [57] P M[58] Field of Search 197/43, 97, 151 A low Cost Prlmmg ribbon Indexingmechamsm for use with a printing mechanism utilizing a single oper- [56]References Cit d ating hammer member. The indexing mechanism in- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS cludes a printing ribbon supply reel mounted on a slip hclutch, a motor driven take-up reel supplying tension agi g to theribbon, a feed roll mounted on a one-way 2 734614 M956 Page 197/15]clutch, a plurality of link members forming an assem- 219301470 3/1960Roller et alt:III: 1:: 197/151 bly engaging the Clutch and feed You andactuated by 3,190,430 6/1965 McGrath 197/151 the movement Ofthe hammerin 3 Printing direction to 3,348,650 10/1967 Meinherz et a1 197/151condition the clutch and feed roll for a feed operation 3,349,88810/1967 Page 197/151 X and a resilient member engaging said assembly toop- 4,979 5/1969 Francisco 197/151 erate the feed roll to withdraw apredetermined length g tj of ribbon from the supply reel such that thehammer u son 3,612,242 10 1971 Cassell et al 197/151 W111 prmt on a newarea of the pnmmg ribbon 3,645,374 2/ 1972 Allen 197/43 X 4 Claims, lDrawing Figure 1 PRINTING RIBBON INDEXING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention is directed to a printer mechanism forprinting data in the form of bars on a record tag and more particularlyto a low cost indexing mechanism for moving precise increments ofprinting ribbon past a printing hammer preparatory to a printingoperation.

The printing mechanism of the present embodiment consists of twoprinting stations, each printing a different color bar. Since eachprinting station is of the same construction, only one station will bedescribed herein. The color bars are printed on a record tag in a codedarrangement which represents information relating to the price of theitem and also providing inventory information. The record tag is readduring the sale of the item by a hand-held, optical probe scanner whichis squibbed" or glided across the record tag. Information from thisreading is transmitted to a data collection source or an electronic cashregister from which merchandise operations are carried out andinventories are controlled. Reference should be made to US. Pat. No.3,637,993, issued on Jan. 25, 1972 to J. B. Christie et al., for adisclosure of this type of information system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the printing of record tags on which codedinformation is to be utilized as part of a merchandizing operation, itis desirable that the cost of the tags be kept at a minimum. One of theareas of cost in the printing of these tags is the amount of printingribbon which is used to print the coded information on the tags. It isdesirable that all of the surface area of the printing ribbon beutilized in the printing of the tags thus insuring that the cost ofprinting will be held at a minimum. In order to accomplish this result,costly and complex ribbon feed mechanisms were constructed. Thesecharacteristics have seriously restricted their use in this type ofprinting mechanism. Therefore, it is an object of this invention toprovide a ribbon indexing mechanism which indexes a printing ribbonthrough very small precise increments of movement and which is low incost and simple in construction. In carrying out the object of thisinvention, there is, provided an indexing mecha nism which includes asupply reel of printing ribbon mounted on a slip clutch, a motor driventake-up reel which supplies tension to the ribbon system, a feed rollmounted on a one-way clutch, a linkage assembly actuated by theoperation of the print hammer to condition the one-way clutch foroperation and a resilient member controlled by the linkage assembly foractuating the feed roll for moving the ribbon a predetermined distancepast the print station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring to the Drawing, there is shown the indexingmechanism of the present embodiment which includes a supply reel 20 ofprinting ribbon 21. The supply reel 20 is mounted on a hub 22 which, inturn is connected to a slip clutch 19. The slip clutch 19 is of standardconstruction and will supply a drag on the supply reel 20 whenever thesupply reel 20 is rotated. The printing ribbon 21 is threaded over aplurality of roller members 23 and a guide member 24 to a take-up reel25. The take-up reel 25 provides constant tension on the ribbon systemby means of being connected to the drive shaft 26 of a motor 27 whichenters a stall condition when the take-up reel 25 is not advancing. Thetension supplied by the take-up reel 25 to the ribbon system issufficient to wind ribbon 21 onto the take-up reel 25 but is less thanthe drag supplied to the supply reel 20 by i the slip clutch 19. Thusthe take-up reel 25 will be unable to pull ribbon 21 from the supplyreel 20. I

The printing ribbon 21 is engaged by a feed roll 28 and an associatedpressure roller 30. The feed roll 28 is pinned to the shaft 31 of aone-way roller clutch 32 which is actuated by a depending arm 33attached thereto. The one-way clutch 32 is of standard construction, anexample of which that may be used is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,240,359issued to D. W. Weizel on Apr. 29, 1941. Rotation of the arm 33 in aclockwise direction will allow the clutch 32 to slip over the shaft 31while a counter-clockwise movement of the arm 33 will lock the clutch 32to the shaft 31 thereby rotating the shaft 31 and the feed roll 28 in adirection to feed ribbon 21 from the supply reel 20to the take-up reel25. The length of printing ribbon 21 that is moved by the feed roll 28is determined by the arc covered by the rotation of the arm 33 in a feeddirection. This construction allows maximum utilization of the surfacearea of the printing ribbon 21 by programming the length of feedaccording to the width of the printing hammer member 34, thus minimizingthe cost of operation of the printing apparatus.

Associated with the ribbon 21 is a hammer member 34 which isreciprocally moved in a downward direction by an actuating member (notshown) to engage the ribbon 21 and print therefrom onto a record member(not shown). Positioned in the path of the hammer 34 is the end of areturn cantilever spring 35 and one end 36 of a rotatably mounted linkmember 37. The link member 37 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 38 securedto the machine framework and rotatably supports, at its other end, oneend of a link member 40, the other end of which is rotatably mounted onthe arm 33 by means of stud 42. Mounted on the lower end of the arm 33is one end of a spring member 41, the other end of which is secured tothe machine framework. The spring member 41 normally biases the arm 33'in a counterclockwise direction.

In the operation of the printer, the hammer member 34 will be moved in adownward direction to engage the ribbon 21 thereby printing on therecord material a colored indicia. Movement of the hammer member 34 willalso rotate the spring 35 and the link member 37 in a counter-clockwisedirection about the shaft 38 resulting in the clockwise rotation of thearm 33 by the link member 40 against the action of the spring member 41.The clockwise rotation of the arm 33 conditions the clutch 32 forrotation by the spring member 41 through an are determined by thecounter-clockwise rotation of the link member 37. This counter-clockwiserotation of the arm 33 by the spring member 41 occurs upon release ofthe downward force on the hammer member 34. When this occurs the spring35 will initiate this return movement of the hammer member 34 to itshome position.

The counter-clockwise movement of the arm 33 by the spring member 41will lock the clutch 32 onto the feed roll 28 thereby transmitting therotation of the arm 33 to the feed roll 28. The counter-clockwiserotation of the feed roll 28 coacting with the pressure roller 30 willovercome the pressure of the slip clutch 19 on the supply reel 20thereby withdrawing a portion of the ribbon 21 from the supply reel 20.This action will position a fresh portion of the ribbon 21 adjacent thehammer member 34 preparatory to a new printing operation.

The length of ribbon 21 that is withdrawn by the feed roll 28 from thesupply reel 20 is determined by the location of the stud 42 on the arm33. The positioning of the stud 42 and the link member 40 away from thecenter of rotation of the arm 33 will decrease the length of feed of thefeed roll 28. It is obvious that if frequent changes of increments offeed are required, a slot 43 can be utilized for locating the stud 42connection between the link member 40 and the arm 33 in a manner wellknown in the art. Thus it will be seen from this construction that aplurality of precise small increments of movement can be programmed forthe operation of the feed roll 28 which allows full utilization of theprinting ribbon 21 and reduces the cost of operating the printingmechanism. The full utilization of the ribbon 21 also provides theadvantage of a longer machine operation due to less ribbon changerequirements.

What is claimed is:

l. A mechanism for indexing a printing ribbon a predetermined distancepast a printing member comprismg:

a. a supply reel of printing ribbon;

b. braking means engaging said supply reel for retarding movement of theprinting ribbon from said supply reel;

c. means for continually tensioning said printing ribbon including amotor driven take-up reel for moving said printing ribbon from saidsupply reel to said take-up reel;

d. a printing member slidably mounted for reciprocal movement between aprinting engagement with the printing ribbon and a home position;

c. drive means engaging said printing ribbon for driving said printingribbon past said printing member when actuated in a first direction;

f. a one-way clutch means engaging said drive means, said clutch meansactuating said drive means in a first direction when rotated in a firstdirection;

g. an actuator member mounted on said clutch means, said actuator memberconditioning said clutch means for rotating in a first direction whenrotated in a second direction;

h. a linkage assembly rotatably mounted adjacent said printing memberand said actuator member, said linkage assembly having a portionpositioned in the path of movement of said printing member and having asecond portion mounted on said actuator member whereby movement of saidprinting member in a printing direction will engage and rotate saidlinkage assembly and said actuator member a predetermined distance insaid second directron;

i. and actuating means engaging said actuator member for moving saidactuator member in a first direction upon rotation of said actuatormember in said second direction and movement of said printing member tosaid home position whereby said clutch means will rotate said drivemeans to move a portion of the printing ribbon past said printing memberfrom said supply reel to said take-up reel.

2. The indexing mechanism of claim 1 in which said linkage assemblyincludes a link member selectively mounted along the longitudinal axisof said actuator member to control the length of movement of saidactuator member in said second direction whereby the actuator memberwill rotate said drive means a distance commensurate with the length ofmovement of said actuator member in said second direction.

3. The indexing mechanism of claim 2 in which said braking meanscomprises a slip clutch member engaging said supply reel to provide adrag on the rotation of the supply reel when the printing ribbon isremoved from the supply reel, said slip clutch member supplying a dragwhich is greater than the force of said motor driven take-up reel onsaid printing ribbon and said one-way clutch means includes a one-wayclutch member which transmits a torque to said drive means when moved insaid first direction which is greater than the drag of said slip clutchmember whereby said take-up reel will move a portion of the printingribbon from the supply reel to the take-up reel commensurate with thelength of movement of said drive means in said first direction.

4. A mechanism for indexing a printing ribbon a predetermined distancepast a print hammer comprising:

a. a supply reel of printing ribbon;

b. braking means engaging said supply reel for retarding movement of theprinting ribbon from said supply reel;

c. means for continually tensioning said printing ribbon including amotor driven take-up reel for moving said printing ribbon from saidsupply reel to said take-up reel;

d. a print hammer slidably mounted for reciprocal movement between aprinting engagement with the printing ribbon and a home position;

e. means for feeding a predetermined length of printing ribbon past saidprint hammer including a feed roll engaging said printing ribbon;

f. a one direction clutch engaging said feed roll;

g. an oscillatable actuating means drivingly connected to said clutchfor transmitting reciprocatory movement thereto, said actuating meansincludes an arm member secured to said clutch;

h. a first link member selectively mounted on said arm member apredetermined distance from the center of operation of said clutch;

. a second link member rotatably mounted adjacent said print hammer,said second link member engaging said first link member and having aportion extending in the path of movement of said print hammer wherebyupon movement of the print hammer in a printing direction, the secondlink member will be rotated to move said arm member and said clutch in anon-operating direction a distance commensurate with the mountingposition of said first link member on said arm member;

6 j. and resilient means engaging said arm member for will be operatedto feed the printing ribbon a disreturning the arm member to a homeposition and tance commensurate with the movement of said operating saidclutch upon movement of said print arm member in a non-operatingdirection. hammer to its home position whereby said feed roll

1. A mechanism for indexing a printing ribbon a predetermined distancepast a printing member comprising: a. a supply reel of printing ribbon;b. braking means engaging said supply reel for retarding movement of theprinting ribbon from said supply reel; c. means for continuallytensioning said printing ribbon including a motor driven take-up reelfor moving said printing ribbon from said supply reel to said take-upreel; d. a printing member slidably mounted for reciprocal movementbetween a printing engagement with the printing ribbon and a homeposition; e. drive means engaging said printing ribbon for driving saidprinting ribbon past said printing member when actuated in a firstdirection; f. a one-way clutch means engaging said drive means, saidclutch means actuating said drive means in a first direction whenrotated in a first direction; g. an actuator member mounted on saidclutch means, said actuator member conditioning said clutch means forrotating in a first direction when rotated in a second direction; h. alinkage assembly rotatably mounted adjacent said printing member andsaid actuator member, said linkage assembly having a portion positionedin the path of movement of said printing member and having a secondportion mounted on said actuator member whereby movement of saidprinting member in a printing direction will engage and rotate saidlinkage assembly and said actuator member a predetermined distance insaid second direction; i. and actuating means engaging said actuatormember for moving said actuator member in a first direction uponrotation of said actuator member in said second direction and movementof said printing member to said home position whereby said clutch meanswill rotate said drive means to move a portion of the printing ribbonpast said printing member from said supply reel to said take-up reel. 2.The indexing mechanism of claim 1 in which said linkage assemblyincludes a link member selectively mounted along the longitudinal axisof said actuator member to control the length of movement of saidactuator member in said second direction whereby the actuator memberwill rotate said drive means a distance commensurate with the length ofmovement of said actuator member in said second direction.
 3. Theindexing mechanism of claim 2 in which said braking means comprises aslip clutch member engaging said supply reel to provide a drag on therotation of the supply reel when the printing ribbon is removed from thesupply reel, said slip clutch member supplying a drag which is greaterthan the force of said motor driven take-up reel on said printing ribbonand said one-way clutch means includes a one-way clutch member whichtransmits a torque to said drive means when moved in said firstdirection which is greater than the drag of said slip clutch memberwhereby said take-up reel will move a portion of the printing ribbonfrom the supply reel to the take-up reel commensurate with the length ofmovement of said drive means in said first direction.
 4. A mechanism forindexing a printing ribbon a predetermined distance past a print hammercomprising: a. a supply reel of printing ribbon; b. braking meansengaging said supply reel for retarding movement of the printing ribbonfrom said supply reel; c. means for continually tensioning said printingribbon including a motor driven take-up reel for moving said printingribbon from said supply reel to said take-up reel; d. a print hammerslidably mounted for reciprocal movement between a printing engagementwith the printing ribbon and a home position; e. means for feeding apredetermined length of printing ribbon past said print hammer includinga feed roll engaging said printing ribbon; f. a one direction clutchengaging said feed roll; g. an oscillatable actuating means drivinglyconnected to said clutch for transmitting reciprocatory movementthereto, said actuating means includes an arm member secured to saidclutch; h. a first link member selectively mounted on said arm member apredetermined distance from the center of operation of said clutch; i. asecond link member rotatably mounted adjacent said print hammer, saidsecond link member engaging said first link member and having a portionextending in the path of movement of said print hammer whereby uponmovement of the print hammer in a printing direction, the second linkmember will be rotated to move said arm member and said clutch in anon-operating direction a distance commensurate with the mountingposition of said first link member on said arm member; j. and resilientmeans engaging said arm member for returning the arm member to a homeposition and operating said clutch upon movement of said print hammer toits home position whereby said feed roll will be operated to feed theprinting ribbon a distance commensurate with the movement of said armmember in a non-operating direction.